Lighten the library’s load

WELLMAN — AS Wellman-Scofield Public Library excitedly prepares for a temporary move as they renovate and expand their current space, they seek help from the community.

After successfully raising $100,000 through various fundraising efforts, the Wellman-Scofield Public Library’s project for expansion received full funding from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation in the amount of $632,860.

This expansion will double the current library’s space, increase collection shelving, provide handicap accessibility, add a programming room and a study room, increase bathrooms, and add storage.

With construction beginning this year, the library will move into a temporary space.

“Since we will be moving our entire collection and all of our shelving down to the Driscoll Building, … we're requesting that the community come in and check out about 20 books just to kind of help lighten our load,” Library Director Carrie Geno said.

They request patrons check out books by April 28 and hold onto them until the week of May 9.

“Then they can start bringing them back,” Geno said. “They can either bring them in person to the new [temporary] location, or we will have the book drop at our current location, the regular library open for a while.”

When construction eventually requires the in-building book drop to close, Geno hopes the library will have an outdoor book drop option for after hours material returns.

In addition to checking out books, Geno says that the community may help with the actual move, also.

“We would love if the community could volunteer to come and help us move,” she said. “We are moving May 1-5. They can either call the library at 319-⁠646-⁠6858 and let us know their interest in availability, send us an email, or there is a form on our website for relocation volunteers, and they fill that out.”

The library will not provide services to the public during the week they move, but will reopen May 9 with normal business hours: Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

The library hopes to only operate from the Driscoll building until November of this year.

Despite the temporary space, Geno assures the public that patrons will still have access to most of their collection.

“The only things that will be going into storage are our puzzles, our reference section, some of our biographies, our adult books on CDs, and that should be about it,” Geno said. “Otherwise, the rest of our collection should remain available for people to come in and check out.”

Children’s computers will not be available during this time, however, they will provide two laptops for limited patron use along with a printer and copier.

They also will still offer the Summer Reading Program, though the locations will shift to either North Park or the Parkside Activities Center, this year.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com